Snapped spoke after wheel truing

[KnackeredBike]

There are two bike shops in my nearest town.

1. Go in for anything and they tell you your bike is scrap and you need a new £600 one.
2. Will repair absolutely everything, and refuse to repair something that is wearing out until it is actually worn out.

Obviously I go to 2, not least because I quite enjoy the "we know best" atmosphere.

I took the bike along on Friday because a couple of spokes had broken. After reading on here that once spokes start to break, they will all break, and I tend to work my bike hard I asked for a new wheel. But they suggested new spokes instead, as it would be cheaper, so I agreed to that.

Went back a bit later and the wheel was truer than a nun at confession, paid and left.

Cycling up a moderate hill today there was a snap and one of the spokes broken at the centre of the wheel. It was about 60km on from the repair. The wheel immediately came out of true a couple of mm, enough to foul the brake pads. When I've had spokes go in the past the wheel does not immediately come out of true, I'm not sure this suggests it was under a lot of tension?

I will pop in tomorrow, I don't know if a fair outcome would be

a. Repair it free/at a discount as it's so soon after the repair.
b. New wheel at a discount.
c. Broken spokes happen, bad luck, pay for the repair.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I can't figure out whether they supposedly replaced all the spokes or not? Yes, No?

Secondly, you say the spoke broke in the centre of the wheel. What do you mean by that?

 

[KnackeredBike]

I can't figure out whether they supposedly replaced all the spokes or not? Yes, No?

Secondly, you say the spoke broke in the centre of the wheel. What do you mean by that?

I assumed that they would replace just the broken spokes, but having looked at them they all look the same and new, the wheel had done over 10k so I would imagine just a few new spokes would be obvious?

The spoke broke as it bends into the centre of the wheel, behind the rear cassette.

I was charged £38 including new brake pads front and rear, I'm not sure if that sounds like entirely new spokes or not. I wasn't given an itemised receipt, just a card receipt.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I assumed that they would replace just the broken spokes, but having looked at them they all look the same and new, the wheel had done over 10k so I would imagine just a few new spokes would be obvious?

The spoke broke as it bends into the centre of the wheel, behind the rear cassette.

I was charged £38 including new brake pads front and rear, I'm not sure if that sounds like entirely new spokes or not. I wasn't given an itemised receipt, just a card receipt.

OK. None of what you say gives us a good reason to comment on what's going on in there.

1) Have all the spokes been replaced? Yes or No?
2) Where did the spoke break? To me, the centre of the wheel is at the axle. But, you say at the rear cassette. OK, but did it break at the elbow and if so, what did the break look like?

 

[Ian H]

I understand the OP to mean a break at the flange. It is probably impossible to determine which stainless spokes are new. From his description of the LBS, I'd suspect a replacement of just the broken ones.

 

[KnackeredBike]

OK. None of what you say gives us a good reason to comment on what's going on in there.

1) Have all the spokes been replaced? Yes or No?
2) Where did the spoke break? To me, the centre of the wheel is at the axle. But, you say at the rear cassette. OK, but did it break at the elbow and if so, what did the break look like?

I would say almost certainly all the spokes have been replaced, probably cheap at £38+brake pads but would be expensive just to true the wheel? They all look clean and thus new.

Broken spoke in centre of picture. The spokes are black rather than silver.

 

[xxDarkRiderxx]

Hmmm not being rude but how heavy/light are you? I used to have this problem on older bikes when I was around 85Kg which I didn't think was that heavy. In the end I just decided to learn to true the wheel myself. A spoke key and 20/30 spokes will only cost you about £10-£15 pounds. I found when I trued the wheel myself a few times the wheel would settle down and not break spokes or go out of true.

 

[mjr]

My wheel went out of true when a spoke broke. Both near the broken one and directly opposite. Not severely. I've no idea if that's to be expected, though.

 

[KnackeredBike]

Sorry as well for sounding a bit thick, other than punctures and bodging repairs at the side of the road to get me home I just give the bike to a shop and pay whatever it costs to get the bike fixed.

 

[Banjo]

Drive side rear at the connection to the flange is a common place for spokes to break.unfortunately its the most awkward place to fit them.

I dont think anyone can guarantee a spoke wont break so it would be reasonable of them to charge for the replacement but you may be lucky .

 

[davidphilips]

C for me. I would not expect a bike shop to give me a new wheel, if the shop offered a discount great but i would expect to pay for parts required at least.

If the spoke that broken was not one changed by the bike shop then just bad luck, good luck and be nice to repair mechanic and ask him to check over all the spokes.

 

[KnackeredBike]

My wheel went out of true when a spoke broke. Both near the broken one and directly opposite. Not severely. I've no idea if that's to be expected, though.

By suddenly I mean I thought I had a sudden puncture, because it went in an instant out of true. I have never had that happen before, normally it happens over some distance.

 

[KnackeredBike]

Drive side rear at the connection to the flange is a common place for spokes to break.unfortunately its the most awkward place to fit them.

I dont think anyone can guarantee a spoke wont break so it would be reasonable of them to charge for the replacement but you may be lucky .

So in future I should just say no and get a new wheel.

I am a bit sceptical anyway as after the repair he said the rear wheel bearings were on their way out and I should bring it back in when it sounded worse. The bearings are part of a new wheel I think? So I might as well have had a new wheel anyway.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

We are still nowhere near the truth here.
What does the invoice say?
Also, does your camera have a focus function?

 

[mjr]

By suddenly I mean I thought I had a sudden puncture, because it went in an instant out of true. I have never had that happen before, normally it happens over some distance.

Mine went out of true between the spoke breaking and me stopping once we turned off the main road about a mile later. Felt like it was instant.